ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Aztec women's golf team is in second place through two rounds of the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational after posting a team score of 3-under 576 at the University of New Mexico Championship Course on Monday.
Sara Kjellker and Bernice Olivarez Ilas are tied for fourth individually, after shooting a four-under 144 and Anna Lina Otten is tied for 15th after shooting an even par. Kjeller's 66 was the lowest score in the second round and tied her career-best score (T-3rd in school history).
After finishing even in the first round, SDSU shot a 3-under 288 in the second round of the day. Entering the final 18 holes, they trail the leaders, San Jose State (-5), by two strokes.
Kjellker, the reigning Mountain West Golfer of the Year, had just one bogey the first 14 holes of her first round, but then double-bogeyed the par-4 397-yard second and bogeyed the par-3 150-yard third hole and finished her first 18 with a 2-over 72. In her second round, she was six-under, the score of the second round. Kjellker birdied three of her first four holes (holes 7-9) and six of her first 13 before bogeying holes three and four.
Olivarez Ilas shot a 70 (-2) in both rounds. In her first round, she bogeyed three of her first five holes, but then played bogey-free in the final 13 holes of the first round while collecting five birdies. In her second 18, she had just one bogey (hole 10) and three birdies (holes 1, 5, and 9)
Lina Otten bogeyed her second hole of the first round, the par five 549-yard ninth, and then finished the rest of the round bogey-free while shooting birdies on holes 11, 13 and 16 to finish with a 70 (-2), her best 18 in her collegiate career. Her second round featured four bogeys (holes 12, 13 and 15) and a pair of birdies (holes 9 and 11).
Freshmen Anika Sato and Esti Garcia Rubio were competing in their first collegiate tournament and finished tied for 56th tied for 79th. Sato had two birdies (holes 1 and 3) and four bogeys in her first round and finished with a 74 (+2) and then shot a 77 (+5) in her second round.
Garcia Rubio was 9-over 72 in her first round but responded to shoot a 75 (+3) in her second round and score for the Aztecs.
The Aztecs wrap up the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational tomorrow morning, beginning at 6:30 a.m. with a shotgun start.
Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational
Albuquerque, N.M. – UNM Championship Course – Par 72 (6,317 yards)
Results Through Two Rounds
Team Standings (Top 5 of 16 teams)
1. San Jose State… 571 (-5, 294-277
2. San Diego State… 573 (-3, 288-285)
3. New Mexico… 577 (+1, 288-289)
4. BYU… 578 (+2, 291, 287)
5. Oregon State… 579 (+3, 297, 292)
Individual Players (Top 5 of 93 players + SDSU)
1. Lila Galeai (BYU)… 136 (-8, 66-70)
2. Kaleiya Romero (Pepperdine)… 137 (-7, 70-67)
3. Antonio Malate (SJSU)… 138 (-6, 69-69)
T-4. Sara Kjellker (SDSU)… 140 (-4, 74-66)
T-4. Bernice Olivarez Ilas (SDSU)… 140 (-4, 70-70)
T-15. Anna Lina Otten (SDSU)… 144 (E, 70-74)
T-56. Anika Sato (SDSU)… 151 (+5, 74-77)
T-79. Esti Garcia Rubio (SDSU)… 156 (+12, 81-75)
Aztecs in Second Place Through Two Rounds
